Welcome to PSY 700, Critical Thinking, Fall 2009

Course description
PSY 700 is specifically designed for the new student in Media Psychology. Critical thinking and argumentation are essential to competent professional practice, particularly in commenting on the use, misuse and impact of digital technology and social media on individuals and society. Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding and application of critical thinking to well written, research supported professional arguments. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to evaluate claims, evidence, and conclusions and to develop coherent, well-articulated, convincing, formal arguments, particularly as they apply to the impacts of technology and social media.

watch the pumpkin video

Course overview
We all live in the tEcosystem, that secondary ecosystem that people have created that consists of digital technology, connectivity and the communication they facilitate. In many ways we have fused with the tEcosystm and are as dependent upon it as we are on the air we breathe. To be conscious digital citizens and critical thinkers we need to understand the implicit and explicit biases in the technology we adopt and information we consume, in much the same way that we need to understand the characteristics and quality of the air that sustains us.

This course provides a number of activities and exercises designed to challenge and expand your perceptions of media, and at the same time help you develop perceptual tools to help you see more clearly and evaluate more effectively the technology and media that populate your digital landscape.

Materials
Nearly all of the materials needed for this class are found on the Internet. So, there are no books or media that you have to buy.

Books. However, we recommend, but do not require, that you read the following:

• Here Comes Everyone: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, by Clay Shirky
• Taming the Beast: Choice and Control in the Electronic Jungle, by Jason Ohler
• Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube, and the Future of American Politics, by Morley Winograd and Michael Hais

DVDs. You will be watching the following Front Line documentaries in this course. I have provided links for you to watch them on the web for free. However, I recommend that you purchase them, or at least rent them, as you will enjoy your viewing experience much more. I own them and watch them at least once/year:

• The Persuaders
  
• Merchants of Cool

If you are going to buy them, do so now so you can watch them for the assignment.

What's due each week? This course lasts eight weeks. Each week requires the following:

1. Input. Watching, reading and/or listening to material. Try to finish this by Wednesday.
   
2. Conversation. Join the weekly Felix forum and responding to a weekly question we provide. Also, you will respond to three comments posted by your colleagues (for a total of at least three conference messages per week). Ideally, you would join in after you have completed your activities. Conversation concludes by Saturday night.
   
3. Output. Updating your blog according to the criteria included with each activity. This needs to be completed by Sunday Evening.
   

Grading. Grades are straightforward:

• Felix forum Discussion: 0-3 for our forum discussion; if you posted three substantial messages, then you get a 3. It goes down from there.
• Blog posting: 0-3 If you have posted 2-3 paragraphs of substantial reflection and critical thinking, then you get 3 points. It goes down from there.
• Final project (2-3 page mission statement). Grading is based on a 0-10 point scale.
  

Can you redo your forum postings to increase your points? No. The discussion comes and goes too quickly to make this possible.

Can you redo your blog posting to increase your points? Yes. I wish you would.

* "man thinking" image from Clipart.com, through a paid subscription